2023 AUSTRALIAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS
- Tuesday, June 13th – Sunday, June 18th
- Prelims at 10am local (8pm previous day EDT)/Finals at 7pm local (5am EDT)
- Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Center
- LCM (50m)
- World Championships Selection Criteria
- Meet Central
- Final Start List
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap/Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap
- Live Results
- Livestream (9now)
The 2023 Australian World Championship Trials nearly saw a new World Record go down at the hands of 21-year-old Kaylee McKeown.
While competing in the women’s 100m backstroke, the Olympic champion from Griffith University ripped a winning effort of 57.50 to fall just .05 shy of her own best-ever performance and current WR time of 57.45.
McKeown opened in 28.27 and closed in 29.23 to get to the wall first and easily qualify for Fukuoka. Fellow Olympian Mollie O’Callaghan snagged silver in 58.42, matching her own best-ever, while Iona Anderson rounded out the top 3 in 1:00.05.
After the race, McKeown said ‘it was nice’ and merely saw the production as a stepping stone to getting to next month’s World Championships.
Kaylee McKeown just posted the fastest time of the season, with an insane time of 57.50 in the women’s 100m backstroke final!
🥇 Kaylee McKeown – 57.50
🥈 Mollie O’Callaghan – 58.42
🥉 Iona Anderson – 1:00:05 pic.twitter.com/hE4ScQyxCA— Swimming Australia (@SwimmingAUS) June 14, 2023
Tonight’s performance checks in as the 3rd fastest in history and she now owns 4 of the top 10 100m back outings ever produced.
Top 10 Women’s LCM 100 Backstroke Performances in History
- 57.45 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2021
- 57.47 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2021
- 57.50 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023
- 57.57 – Regan Smith (USA), 2019
- 57.63 – Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2021
- 57.64 – Regan Smith (USA), 2021
- 57.65 – Regan Smith (USA), 2022
- 57.70 – Kylie Masse (CAN), 2021
- 57.72 – Kylie Masse (CAN), 2021
- 57.75 – Regan Smith (USA), 2022
Below is a comparison of splits for McKeown’s top 3 career-best performances.
| McKeown’s 57.45 WR | McKeown’s 57.47 Olympic Record | McKeown’s 57.50 |
| 28.10 | 28.20 | 28.27 |
| 29.35 | 29.27 | 29.23 |
McKeown now ranks #1 in the world while O’Callaghan inserts herself into slot #3 on the season.
2022-2023 LCM Women 100 Back
McKeown
57.50
| 2 | Regan Smith | USA | 57.71 | 06/30 |
| 3 | Katharine Berkoff | USA | 58.01 | 06/30 |
| 4 | Mollie O'Callaghan | AUS | 58.42 | 06/14 |
| 5 | Claire Curzan | USA | 58.59 | 06/30 |
Watching the swim live, Kaylee’s stroke rate slowed down a lot in the last 4-5 strokes. If she’s still not fully tapered, that’s scary. She was on track to go a 57.3 at the speed she was on. I appreciate the comparison with Regan, however Kaylee is right on point now and we all know she is a fierce competitor, I cant see her losing this year. I’m predicting a 57.3 at worlds and she’s the right age to keep dropping for next year – which is when we may see a 56.
I’m excited to see how Regan reacts to this time. With ASU training, is she gonna pop a 57.40??
Oh for god’s sake, can’t you appreciate someone’s swim without comparing them or trying to find someone who you think could go fasted? Kaylee is amazing and can stand on her own.
I was more pointing out a potential battle this summer. Not trying to throw dirt on Kaylee’s swim
Kaylee & MOC were locked together for about 75m and then it was like Kaylee turned on her outboard motor.
In 2022 people were questioning whether McKeown would be able to get back to her 100 best.
It’s evident now that 2022 was a building block for her.
This year, she’s posted PBs in a bunch of events and an almost best in the 100 back. Very impressive.
OVER/UNDER in where MOC and her stand on the podium in Japan? Impressive!
1. R. Smith 57.34
2. K. McKeown 57.45
3. C. Curzan 58.32
Kaylee’s stroke rate in that 2nd 50 was nuts. Made Mollie look ordinary.
Can see Kaylee going sub 57 by the end of her career. 27.9 + 28.9 = 56.8
How fast has Kylie Masse been this season? Weird not seeing her up there. In any case, MOC has consistently been swimming 58 mid. If she fixed her turns she would be approaching the 58 barrier
59.00. 7th for the season
She needs to swim centre not on the lane ropes and her time will drop
I’m very interested in seeing how her year of training in Spain with Titley again will pan out for her at Worlds. She hasn’t had a really noteworthy season but she usually delivers when it counts.
Her splits have always been so consistent. It is hard to see anyone beating her without being able to swim a
29 low on the second 50 and she may well be the first to swim a sub 29 too.
Regan Smith 27.5/29.6 would beat her
I doubt anyone can come back in 29.6 if they go out in 27.5, which is a suicidal pace.
Over-swimming the first half is not a wise strategy against someone like Kaylee.
I would rather see Regan do something more controlled like 27.8/29.4.